Charcoal briquettes

[parkerj2]

Not sure if this is the right place on here to post this, but it's something I felt necessary to share.

I work in the steel industry, and we import some material from the Czech republic that we then sell to steel foundries. This material is NOT clean, and those that work with it use gas masks and hazard suits to handle it.

When its transported, it breaks into small pieces. Eventually, some of these pieces turn to dust or close to dust, and the foundries can't use it. Ours is sold to a company that is able to use it for scrap melting.

I visited one of our storage facilities recently and saw a pile of this dust from a competitor's material, and the terminal manager informed me that it was sold to Kingsford to be used in their briquettes.

I am not a chemist, but I've been told how dirty and simply terrible for humans this stuff is.

I am sure that MOST of you don't care, but I thought I should share because burning this stuff in charcoal that then goes onto our food....nothing I'll ever mess with.

[Troutman]

What is your definition of NOT clean? Is Russia through the Czechs systematically trying to kill all bbqrs through a conspiracy with Kingsford? Sounds a little far fetched to me.

[parkerj2]

Not really what I was alluding to...AT ALL....but if you wanna be a jerk about it and take it way farther than anything I said, be my guest.

What I SAID was...kingsford uses the byproduct of the process. it's a crappy, dirty burning product. The czechs don't know what is done with this stuff. they just sell it and move on.

Conspiracy? Where'd you pick up on that from my post? Nowhere.

[pkadare]

Pretty sure that the post from Troutman was tongue in cheek.

[Troutman]

Relax dude, not trying to ruffle your feathers. It does seem a bit strange this is happening, if what you say is true.

[ComfortablyNumb]

So what exactly is this material?

[parkerj2]

It's called Foundry Coke.

[ComfortablyNumb]

Found this list of Kingsford ingredients

[mrteddyprincess]

What is in the foundry coke that makes it dirty?

[ComfortablyNumb]

Some brief research shows that foundry coke has been used in home heating and cooking for centuries. It is also used in smelting metals, and is favoured by blacksmiths. It can be purchased on eBay. There can be risks of inhalation and skin and eye contact, OSHA has set exposure limits in the workplace, so that would explain the hazmat suits and respirators.

Came across this, describes what coal, coke, and charcoal are.

[Dan Deter]

That was interesting to read.

[HawkerXP]

I used to own a clinker. Or was it a clunker?

[Bkhuna]

My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who say's Kingsford is poisoning us.

[ComfortablyNumb]

I would find this believable if an uncle were involved.

[holehogg]

parkerj2 i was wondering if you use or used kingsford prior to you learning of this.

[Steve R.]

Really, any kind of fine powder is pretty terrible for humans. I used to work for a place that mixed rubber for making automotive and industrial belts and hoses. Every week we went through (literally) tons of carbon black, the soot produced by burning crude oil, which gives the rubber its black color, among other things. There was a sophisticated ventilation system, but the carbon black still left a thin black film on everything. Truly filthy stuff, and the mixer operators would hit the shower looking just like coal miners at the end of the shift. Every single item made of black rubber contains it.

I think we have to consider how the material is used. There is no smoke that is good for us, yet we all smoke meats while understanding that we shouldn't inhale deeply from what is coming out of the exhaust vents. My $0.02.

[Mosca]

I don't think I would want to eat it, or breathe it. But I'm okay with burning it.

[TheQuietOne]

If I remember right briquettes often contain coal dust too. That's pretty nasty, but they use it because it's pretty much pure carbon so when it burns it oxidizes into carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and water so no problem. Probably any dust should be avoided as much as possible though.

[HawkerXP]

I believe our friend parkerj2 was just alerting us to what he stumbled upon at work. As with all products its up to the individual weather to use this product or find something else. Thank you ComfortablyNumb for sharing information on topic.

[Mudkat]

+1.

[Mudkat]

Thanks for the info

[SMOG MAN]

parkerj2. Thanks for the alert, I guess you are taking the terminal manger at his word? And thank youComfortablyNumb for the follow up information. This did make me think a little and I learned something here.

[FireMan]

Almost had a fire. Nice job on putting it out & handled very instructively! Good learning experience. 👍 🕶